Annabeth's Side
by Iheartbd's
Summary: A sort of sequal to Reyna's Side. When Percy goes missing, what happens to Annabeth? How Annabeth feels during TLH and SoN.
1. Chapter 1: Loss

**So, by popular request, here is Annabeth's Side! Umm, if you haven't read Reyna's Side, you don't have to, but I'd recommend it… Thank you SO much Harry Artemis Jackson for being my first reviewer and still continuing to read through now! It's so nice to see a review from you; they make my day! So, this chapter is dedicated to Harry Artemis Jackson! *applause* ;)**

December 13

"_I'll see you later," Percy whispered into my ear, giving me another quick kiss. I could still feel the pressure of his lips on mine long after he pulled away. "I love you Wise Girl."_

"_I love you too, Seaweed Brain." He got up off my bed, disappearing into the shadows._

_These past 4 months had been the best of my life. Sure, there was yet another great prophecy, but this one shouldn't take place in our lifetimes. Some other poor demigods would have to deal with it. Percy and I had had our fair share of prophecies._

_Unfortunately, Percy was only visiting. Even after Chiron's constant begging, Percy was forgoing the safety of camp for his mom and stepdad. Percy had decided to stay with me for winter break, and that had turned into him visiting for all of December. That was perfectly fine with me though; more quality time with my boyfriend. I sighed and slowly drifted off to sleep. Everything was perfect, and hopefully it would stay that way for a long while._

That had been yesterday. The next morning, Percy Jackson had vanished without a trace. The next morning, I fell apart inside.

December 14

Annabeth stood in the Big House with the other cabin councilors, wringing her hands. Everyone gathered around the ping pong table looked haggard and worn; the results of a sleepless night.

"No leads at all? He can't have just disappeared off the face of the Earth!" Annabeth cried. The others looked at her sympathetically. They had all lost someone at some point and knew what she was going through.

"Annabeth, we're doing all we can. All of the campers are searching. We even have the Hunters out looking for him. This is all we can do. Hopefully we can find him sometime soon. He can't have gone too far in what, a day?" Clarisse reasoned.

"One day, 5 hours, 27 minutes," said Annabeth.

"What?"

"One day, 5 hours, 27 minutes," Annabeth said again. "28 minutes now. It's the time he's been missing." The campers looked at one another worriedly. This was not a good sign. "Look," said Annabeth, breaking the silence, "he's the hero of Olympus. The gods would help, right?"

"Annabeth," Clarisse said patiently, much unlike herself, "The gods haven't been talking to us for a month now. They aren't going to magically start now."

"Why do we care so much anyway?" A voice asked from the back. Drew. "I mean, he's just one camper. Savior of Olympus or not…" Drew was cut off sharply as Annabeth held a dagger to her throat.

"_That's _why we're looking for him Drew," she said menacingly. "_That's _why."

"I still don't…" Drew started but she stopped as Annabeth growled and pressed her blade closer to Drew's neck, a small rivulet of blood dribbling down and onto her top. "Ok, ok!" she said, and Annabeth pulled away reluctantly.

"Geez! I was just asking a question!" Drew exclaimed. "And you ruined my shirt! It was expensive!" she said, looking down at her bloodstained collar.

Clarisse leaned forward. "Drew, you best get out while I can still control my temper. Percy is worth more than 10 of you, let alone your _shirt_." Drew paled visibly and scrambled out of the meeting room as fast as she could.

Some people never changed.

December 15

_She was in a dark room lit only by scattered torches. Intricate tapestries adorned the walls, and statues of heroes sat on pedestals situated about the room._

_Annabeth got up cautiously, taking in every detail of her surroundings. She was sure she had never been here before; she would have remembered a place so desolate. She was no daughter of Aphrodite, but she was sure the décor was 'downright moody'.  
"It's not to my liking either," a disembodied voice said, echoing throughout the chamber. Annabeth's fists clenched. She knew that voice, and she didn't like it._

"_What have you done with him?" she demanded. The voice chuckled._

"_Straight to the point, hmm?" A slender figure separated itself from the mass of shadows in the corners of the chamber. Hera. "Do not worry; I have not harmed your precious boyfriend. He is too important to me, for now." Annabeth didn't like the way she said 'for now'._

"_You'd better not have. He's the only thing keeping me form attacking you right now," Annabeth replied._

"_A quite important thing though, is he not? A fine specimen, if I could say so myself. But, child, you must remember that, boyfriend or no, I __**am**__ a goddess."_

"_What do you mean, 'a fine specimen'?" Annabeth asked threateningly. _

_Hera laughed. "I am not hitting on your boyfriend," she told her. "I am the goddess of marriage and commitment, after all."_

"_I really don't think you get just how much I don't like you," Annabeth told her._

"_I can see we aren't going to get along, so I'll get to the point." _

"_Finally," Annabeth muttered._

"_Tomorrow, go to the Grand Canyon. There you will find a boy with one shoe. He will be the answer to your problem."_

_Annabeth sucked in a breath. Could it really be? Could Percy be just a few hundred miles away? She tried to suppress her excitement. After all, why would Hera kidnap her boyfriend only to tell her where he was just days later?_

_Either way, Annabeth was going to the Grand Canyon. This guy with one shoe sounded like a demigod, and even if Percy wasn't there, she could help save at least one half-blood. _

"_Wake child," Hera said solemnly and snapped her fingers._

_Annabeth sat bolt upright in bed. She had found a lead._

December 16

Percy,

I heard from Hera that you are alright. You'd better be; if you die on me, I'm going to kick your but! Thalia and the Hunters are looking for you, but none of them have gotten any results, or I wouldn't be writing you this letter.

Look, Percy, just come home. You saved Olympus; what could be holding you up? There's no monster you can't defeat. Heck, you beat Ares in battle when you were 12 with almost no training! So why aren't you here? You didn't run away, did you?

Many people think that you did. After all, there were no signs of distress in your cabin, and your sword is missing. They think that you grabbed some of your stuff and left. But I know you didn't. The night before you said you loved me. If you truly loved me, you wouldn't have disappeared. And I think you really did mean it.

Percy, I will find you. I promise. I won't rest until your back home again. So, make this easy on me okay? Don't hide from us. I know you could if you wanted to so don't. Please.

Annabeth

December 17

Diary,

Jason and the other quest members left this morning, and I did too. I want to check up on all of the groups that are searching for Percy and see if any of them need any help. Chiron also seems to want me out of camp, which is okay with me. There are too many memories there. It makes me depressed.

Tonight I am traveling with a group of Artemis' Hunters, which is led by Thalia. The Hunters split up into 3 groups to cover more ground, which none of them liked, but all agreed was necessary. They are glad to have this mission anyway; Artemis is stuck in Olympus and they have had nothing to do in months. Anyway, Thalia would have forced them to, bored or not. She won't admit it, but she really loves Percy. In a sisterly way, of course.

Anyway, I am camping with them tonight. It really is a good thing they have protecting wolves; 15 or so demigods really do smell, and we are being attacked constantly. It really is annoying. Every time that happens, I wake up. I go help the wolves; I'm awake anyway, I might as well let some energy out through my sword.

Annabeth

December 18

I have sent Annabeth off. Her tension is not helping the camp. Everyone is already on edge about the winter solstice. It is in two days, after all, and we have not gotten any contact from Piper, Leo and Jason. I am very worried about her. Right now, she is on a 'quest rush'. She has a purpose; finding Percy. But, once she starts to realize it is futile, as it soon will probably become, she will crumple. I have seen it many times before. And, after seeing exactly what that kind or realization does to a person, I am hoping she will be out of camp when it happens. I feel very bad for her, and I am worried about Percy.

I don't believe he would have run away, which, in the demigod world, means one other thing. And that is something I really don't want to think about, but, it is most likely that Percy Jackson is dead.

With Regret,

Chiron

**Eh, not my best chapter ever. I was hoping that since I know more about Annabeth this would be easier, but as I am trying to stick to the timeline, it's really hard. I have all of these ideas for scenes, but I can't use some of them. Annabeth finds out where Percy is too fast, and her emotions wouldn't be right for the scenes I want. Oh well. Hey, check out ShortieP's stuff! She's a really good writer, so go take a look! Until next time!**


	2. Chapter 2: Denial

**Hey! Sorry for not updating sooner, but the day I wanted to update was my b-day party (no one would let me write, and someone even took my kindle away from me so I would stop reading *cough ShortieP cough*), so I didn't update then, and then I was experimenting with my new kindle, trying to figure out how it worked. I just ended up procrastinating. **

December 19

Annabeth stood on the beach near Camp Half-Blood's lake. She had returned to camp that morning after checking up on each search party. The news from each was the same; no sign of him.

Percy. Everything in camp reminded Annabeth of him. There, the bathrooms where he had doused Clarisse with water, there, the woods in which he was claimed; Annabeth could see him everywhere.

She knew what he would say if he saw her like this. Broken, empty. He would tell her that he didn't want her worrying about him, to piece herself together for the camp. But she didn't want to. It was easier this way, with no responsibilities. Everyone gave her a wide berth, and she was allowed to sulk by herself, in peace.

She returned to the beach often. It was full of happy memories, days spent filled with sun, laughter and water. Even still, these memories were painful. Sometimes, they were more painful than the bad memories, reminding her of what she would have if Percy was still there. If Percy hadn't left.

But the beach was the one place she felt comfortable. It wasn't exactly the camp hotspot, so she was almost never interrupted by younger campers, and older ones knew to avoid her. It was peaceful there, and often, she could lose herself in the motion of the waves and forget the troubles of the day. Unfortunately, that never lasted. At some point, she was forced to get up, and reality would come crashing back down on her even harder than before.

That night, Annabeth even fell asleep by the shore. The sky was clear and the ocean unnaturally calm. Annabeth could almost feel Percy's arms circling her shoulders, his voice whispering in her ear. _'It's okay Annabeth. I'm here now, it's okay.'_ Annabeth was, for the first time in almost a week, content.

She was wakened suddenly. Annabeth jumped up, ready to cut the person who disturbed her peace into ribbons, but she stopped abruptly. There, on the beach, was Poseidon.

Annabeth had seen Percy's father only a few times before, but it was obviously him. They had the same black hair and startling sea green eyes. He approached her cautiously, and she realized she still had her dagger out. She quickly sheathed it, and then walked out to the beach to meet him.

"Lord Poseidon," she said stiffly, "you should not be contacting me. Zeus is restricting all contact."

"Yes," he replied, "which is why I have to make this short. Annabeth, I love Percy. He's my son, and I hate that he was taken away from Camp Half-Blood, but it is for the best. He is the bridge, the gateway which we will not survive without."

Annabeth's eyes stung. "It's for the best that he's probably dead? Or do you know where he is? Tell me!" Annabeth demanded, and then quitter, "I have to know. Please, this is killing me." She said, anguished.

Poseidon looked on sadly. "I am very sorry, but it is not my place to tell you such things. We are in a precarious situation as it is, but trust me when I say he has not forgotten you." His tone was solemn, but his eyes were animated with a slight twinkle. "All will make sense soon. But in the meantime…" He dug around in his coat pockets and procured a small package. "This is all I give you. And now I must go. My time is up." Poseidon snapped his fingers and evaporated into a pillar of salt water which merged with the lake.

Annabeth stared on in shock. Percy remembered her… which must mean he was still alive. She stood up straighter, a new hope lighting up her eyes, giving her purpose. She quickly unwrapped the package. It was a necklace; a small trident hanging on a fine chain. The whole thing was made of a burnished bronze and seemed to glow with an aura of power. She picked up the trident and gasped.

As soon as her fingers touched the metal of the pendant, memories washed over her. A day at the beach, the water fight she lost horribly, going out to pizza with Grover and Juniper. And then there were more private moments. The feel of his hair sliding across her fingers, the touch of his lips against hers, the warmth of his body. And the rush of happiness that occurred every time he told her he loved her.

Annabeth dropped the necklace in shock. It had seemed so real… She touched her face and felt the wetness of tears sliding down her cheeks. She reached down to grab the pendant. "Thank you Lord Poseidon," she said, unsure if the prayer would reach him, but grateful none the less. She clasped the pendant around her neck, and promised herself that she wouldn't take it off until Percy was back with her at camp, where he belonged.

December 20

Sally Jackson opened the door to her small apartment.

"Mrs. Jackson?" Annabeth said tentatively, standing just outside the threshold.

"Annabeth!" Sally said excitedly. "Come in, come in." Sally's face was tight with worry, showing that her gracious host act was… well, and act. "Is there any news…?" she asked, almost afraid to breach the subject.

"No, unfortunately not," Annabeth told her sadly. Sally's shoulders slumped.

"That's what I thought, but you can always hope. Hope is all you have in times like this." Sally said dejectedly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to impose…" Annabeth said politely, realizing that what Sally was going through was as bad as or worse than what she was. After all, Percy was her son.

"Not at all," Sally replied, "I was just making cookies. Paul is coming over soon, and…" She blushed. "Anyway, I am assuming you came here to get away from camp."

"Yes," Annabeth replied gratefully, "that would be wonderful. Everyone there tries to give my their pity. They don't understand what I'm going through, and I was hoping you would." Sally regarded Annabeth for a moment.

"Yes, I suppose so. Make yourself at home, you can stay as long as you need to. You're always welcome here," she said kindly.

"Are you sure…?" Annabeth asked. "I do attract a lot of monsters…"

Sally laughed. "Annabeth, Percy lived with me for 12 years. Gabe or no, I saw some pretty awful stuff. It's fine." Annabeth felt stupid. Of course she would have to deal with monsters on a daily basis.

"Chiron sort of… kicked me out of camp. Apparently my mood was not helping the situation…" Sally noticed that Annabeth was fingering a small trident pendant. A gift from Percy?

Suddenly, Annabeth started crying. "I… just…" she sobbed. "I m-miss him so… much." Sally reached out to her.

"We all do, Annabeth. We all do."

December 21

Annabeth stood facing Olympus. Even under construction and partially destroyed, it was magnificent, but Annabeth could not appreciate it's beauty.

Chiron had wanted her to go out and do things, and he thought that working on Olympus might be a nice distraction. Unfortunately, being a daughter of Athena, she saw through his plan. She knew exactly what it was; a diversion and that did not help her predicament.

She sighed. There was no way she would be of any help in this state. Anyway, today might be the last day of the world, if the questers didn't save Hera in time. And, if it was the last day in the world, Annabeth wanted to spend it at Camp Half-Blood. Jason might have news on Percy, and she wanted to be there to greet him.

Annabeth headed back down to the elevator, not even bothering to visit her mom. Boy, was this going to piss off Chiron.

**Uggg… I looked and reread the second part of this and almost threw up the writing is so terrible… I just wanted to get something else out before summer… So yeah, this will be the last update in a few more days… Sorry… Anyway, I apologize for the horrendous second part of this.**


	3. Chapter 3: Anger

**AHHH! I got completely done and then I lost my kindle charger and, since I wrote it on my kindle, I couldn't upload it! Anyway, sorry for the really late update. Thank you for all of the reviews! I think I answered every review that had a question/something not understood, but if not… Well, sorry. ;p **

**FREE ADVERTISING SPACE!**

**-Check out ImmaNerd98's story What Life Brings You if you haven't already… It is REALLY good…**

**-I am writing a bunch of drabbles that are all from the HoO series called Puzzle Pieces, take a look at those…**

**-The first few reviewers will get free ad space next chapter and I will review one of their stories, so yeah! Review!**

December 21, The Night Before

Annabeth had taken to sleeping in Cabin 3. Poseidon hadn't vaporized her yet, so everyone just assumed it was okay with him. Anyway, when Percy had been there, half of her time was spent in his cabin.

She said she slept there because it smelt of him. Perhaps it did, but there was one thing missing, and it showed on Annabeth's face clearly the next morning. Because, no matter how much a place reminded a person of someone, it wasn't enough.

The worst part was the nightmares. Every night, in her sleep, he would die. Every night the same, but each time different.

How many times did she see Mt. Saint Helens all over again? How many times did he die in her arms, his sea green eyes looking up at her, the life draining from them?

It wasn't an uncommon occurrence, even with him around. But then, she could sneak to his cabin with her Yankees cap and he would comfort her, talking into the wee hours of morning. It was times like those that she knew he loved her.

Now, however, he wasn't around to comfort her. The nightmares happened more and more often, until every night brought new horrors. And, no matter how bad the dreams were, the fact that they could be real was worse. So much worse.

December 21, That Day

Annabeth stood outside the council room, speechless. All of that time searching for Percy, and the answer was right under their noses in Jason.

She wanted to leave for Camp Jupiter right away, but she knew that she couldn't. Percy would be there, but if what Jason said was true, he was in trouble. Percy would have no trouble proving his worth, but if the Romans hated the Greeks so much… she hoped his identity would stay hidden.

As it was, she had to make sure preparations on the Argo II went smoothly and quickly. She had to call back all search parties and the hunters, and she had to figure out a way to make sure the Romans wouldn't attack them.

She had all of these things to do, so why did she just want to crumple to the ground and cry in relief?

Annabeth shook her head. Percy wasn't safe yet.

December 22

"Why do so many people like him?"

Annabeth jumped. In the noise of Bunker 9, she hadn't heard Jason creep up on her.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"Percy. Why do people respect him so much? When you called in the search parties, the camp size doubled and, well… look at this."

Annabeth looked around her. There were hundreds of demigods working; even a few Aphrodite campers were lending a hand. People who weren't working were handing out refreshments or planning parts of the ship. "I don't know," she said. "He just… he had a way around people. He wouldn't let a friend down, you know. He was so loyal… After a while, when people started to see how selfless he was, well, you can't help wanting to respect that. He was a leader, a hero, and the best friend you could have." By the end of her speech, she had tears sliding down her cheeks.

Jason looked at her skeptically, almost as if he thought she were just a love struck girlfriend mooning over her boyfriend. Annabeth caught the look. "No, really. Just ask anyone who's been here since before he left. He even made an impression on the newbies."

"What did he do that was so great? I've heard stories, but not the whole thing," he said, curious.

"He saved the world and the camp twice, not to mention a goddess. I've lost track of how many Titans he's fought, and he defeated Medusa and Ares when he was 12. He even killed the Nemean Lion."

Jason was awed. He had only defeated a single Titan, and it felt like to much to ask of him. "Really? What else?"

"I really don't want to talk about it. Ask Chiron if you're truly interested," Annabeth told him, her eyes turning red. "He was the best boyfriend I could ask for, and then some."

Jason left again, but this time, he had a bit of respect for Percy.

December 23

Clarisse walked up casually, sitting down next to the motionless figure on the beach. "You alright Annabeth?" She asked carefully. Since Percy had left, Clarisse had tried to protect Annabeth from the stares of other campers. It had happened to her once too.

Annabeth sighed. "No," she admitted, "but you knew that." Clarisse chuckled.

"That I did," she replied. "What's bothering you?"

Annabeth rolled over. "Everything. There's just so much that could go wrong! What if he's dead? What if the Romans don't accept him?"

"I think we both know that's not the true reason you're upset. He's invincible, the Romans can't harm him, nor can anything else. He's alive."

"If you know that, then you know why I'm upset. You tell me," Annabeth retorted.

"I want to hear it from you," Clarisse replied softly.

"Fine," she huffed. "It's about his memory. What if he doesn't remember me? What if he likes it at the other camp? What if he doesn't want to come back?" Annabeth said, her voice rising with each word.

"And?" said Clarisse.

"WHAT IF HE HAS ANOTHER GIRLFRIEND? THERE, I SAID IT, ARE YOU HAPPY?" Annabeth screamed, gesturing wildly. A few people looked their way, but Clarisse scared them off with a glare.

"Yes," she answered. "Yes, I'm happy."

**Just to be clear; on that last part, Clarisse didn't mean 'I'm glad your boyfriend is gone and probably has another girlfriend,' she meant 'I'm glad you're admitting your true feelings,' kapeesh? **

**On a completely different subject, I HATE MY LIZZARD! He has really sharp claws, and today he decided to use my face as a Launchpad! That evil thing! Now I have scratches all down my face! **

**So please, make my day and REVIEW!**


	4. Chapter 4: Bargaining

**Hello! Long time, no write. Sorry! Hey, take a look at Puzzle Pieces. If you have any ideas (so and so felt such and such), or if you just want me to put in certain pairings or people, just review! Thanks!**

**FREE ADVERTISING SPACE!**

**-Look at Harry Artemis Jackson's story Artemis Hits America if you read in the Artemis Fowl fandom**

**-Read Headintheclouds818's stories Oh and A Thousand Years**

**-Also, read jondabomb98's story Fallen Heroes.**

**Thanks!**

**If you read this authors note, put blue rubber monkeys in your review. I'm trying to see who actually reads these things. **

December 27

Annabeth stood at the podium, staring out at all of the members of camp Half-Blood. She could see all of the familiar faces out there, urging her on, trying to comfort her. She shifted and saw the beautiful green burial shroud sitting on the brazier, ready to by lit on fire. And, though she knew this was all formality, she couldn't ignore the sinking feeling in her chest, saying _what if this is all real? What if he is dead?_ She shook her head, composing herself. She had to finish this, to appear strong before the camp.

Even though they knew Percy was at the Roman camp, it was tradition to burn ones burial shroud after two weeks of them being missing. Percy was no different.

She took a deep breath and began her speech.

"_He was probably the best friend I ever had. He..." _Annabeth realized she was saying the same thing she had the last time she had burned his shroud. Automatically, she looked up to the back of the amphitheater, hoping. She realized that several of the campers that had been to his last funeral looked with her. But, like her intuition had said, he didn't magically appear. If only. She couldn't go on. Her voice cracked, and she gave up trying to continue her goodbye.

Annabeth lifted the shroud up and onto the flames, laying it down gently and watching the smoke rise to the heavens. Once again, she looked back. He wasn't there. The shroud burnt to nothing and the fire died.

Long after everyone had left, Annabeth sat near the campfire, hugging her knees to her chest. Even though it wasn't for real, even though they knew where he was… There was that nagging voice, taunting her. Percy wasn't perfect. Even with his Achilles curse, there was always that one spot. An accident could happen, another fluke, and this time she wouldn't be there to take the knife for him like she always was. She wasn't ready to face the world yet. How could she? Because, for all intents and purposes, Percy Jackson was dead.

December 28

It had been just over two weeks since Percy had gone missing, and only a week since construction on the Argo II had begun. So many campers were working on it, if you looked at it from just the right angle, you could almost tell it was a ship. Even still, Leo predicted that it would take almost 7 more months.

Annabeth, of course, played a big role in the creation of the ship. She was always there from dawn to dusk, and sometimes even longer than that. It was her job to keep things running smoothly, and to help design some of the compartments in the ship.

She worked constantly, almost as if she would fall apart if she stopped. Maybe she would. After all, she had lost the most perfect person in the world after only a few months of happiness.

In fact, when she analyzed herself, she realized that was exactly what would happen. She was so close to losing it already. Perhaps her subconscious thought that if she worked fast enough, they could finish the ship in a week and she would see her boyfriend sooner.

As it were, she spent every moment she could spare in Bunker 9, and even some moments she could not. The other builders were nice to her, making sure she ate lunch and even slept a little, but her best supporters were Piper and Jason.

When they came to get Leo, they would always stop by and visit Annabeth. They would ask her to visit the lake or climb the lava wall, but when she declined they wouldn't push her. It was nice. They treated her like a normal person.

One day, though, Piper had had enough. She had, once again, asked for Annabeth to come and visit the pegasi. Annabeth had declined; Percy had loved the pegasi, taking her to see them every day. There were to many memories.

Unfortunately for Annabeth, Piper wasn't going to take no for an answer. Annabeth hadn't been out of bunker 9 in 2 days. She even slept on one of the two cots that had been provided for Leo and her.

"Annabeth Chase, you _will_ come with us and visit the pegasi." Pipers voice was low and threatening, and although she didn't put any charmspeak in it, Annabeth consented. She didn't want a fight, and who knows. Maybe Piper was right, and she needed to spend more time outdoors. Maybe, just maybe, this will even be fun, she thought to herself as she followed Piper and Jason down to the stables.

December 29

Annabeth sighed in disappointment. When Chiron had called her to the big house, she had hoped there would be more news on Percy's disappearance. At least, she had hoped he would tell her more about the Romans. Even after they had found out about the other group, he still refused to say anything.

But, what he did tell her brought on mixed emotions.

"Perhaps it would take your mind off of… things, and we have the time and materials, especially since all of the cabins have been finished and you can't design Olympus without contact with the gods…" Chiron trailed off, noticing that Annabeth wasn't listening.

Chiron had just given her clearance to build and design temples on half-blood hill, something she had been harping on him to let her do for a very long time. Unfortunately, there was always something going on that prevented them from building them.

She wanted to build them so badly, but… There was another distraction, this time one that meant more to her than building temples to the gods. Percy.

If she were to design them it would detract from her designing and working on the Argo II. It would cost them time, materials and workers that could also be spent on the ship. The more she thought about it, the more she realized it wasn't what she really wanted to be doing. There were more important things to be done.

"No," she said, looking up. "No," she repeated more firmly, "I won't. Because we owe it to Percy to get to him faster. He deserves a break, after saving the world once. I would love to, but I just can't." She looked Chiron in the eye, but her resolve almost crumbled when she pictured the sight how wonderful they would look, sitting on top of the hill. She left suddenly, worried that if she stayed any longer she would give in.

She owed it to Percy.

**Sorry about that last segment, it was pretty much just filler. Ehh, I thought it said something about her wanting temples in the books, so I decided to write this… You know, I was a lot happier with the way Reyna's Side turned out… Oh well. Anyway, review! (even if it is to tell me how awful it is and to go die in a hold. ;)) And if you read this authors note, but yellow rubber monkeys in your review. Thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5: Depression

_*****IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTE! PLEASE READ!*****_

**Hey… so sorry for the break, but… yeah.**

**SO! I have a challenge, I guess, for you guys. It is such:**

**I have noticed that Paul Blofis is a very unknown character. He has no true past and his relationship with Percy is very undefined in the books. I have also noticed that most of the 'Paul meets Percy/Percy tells Paul' stories are OOC, and there are very few other moments. So, I am challenging you to write a fanfic about Paul and Percy. The rules are as follows;**

**-It must be at least 500 words**

**-It should be as unOOC as possible**

**-It shouldn't be unrealistic (aka no crack fics, slash, etc.)**

**-and it should be uploaded no later than 8/27/12**

**That gives you 3 weeks, which I think is enough for a one-shot. I'm really open for just about any scene even if they are the 'normal' Paul meets Percy/Percy tells Paul, though original is better. PM me if you are going to take part with the name of the story ONLY AFTER IT IS UPLOADED, and I'll take a look. The winner will get a mention and, if they so desire, can give me any idea for a one-shot, no matter how ridiculous.**

**This upload is dedicated to Euterpe'sDaughter13! Sorry I haven't read your stories yet, but I soon will! I was so happy when I saw you made an account! Yep, you're right, but not in this chapter, maybe the next one, and probably not for the reason you think ;)**

**Ahh, and sorry for the first section, I just couldn't resist adding it…**

January 5

Piper sat in the back of the room, squished between the Nike counselor whose name she had yet to learn and a very unhappy Seymour; somewhere that would certainly not rank as one of her ten favorite places to be. She didn't think anyone had noticed her yet, which was fine with her. She had some major explaining to do.

So far, it seemed no one had really started the meeting, but instead everyone was standing around in groups chatting. Finally, when Piper didn't think she could stand waiting anymore, a loud voice shouted, "HEY!"

It was Clarisse, standing next to a disgruntled Annabeth. Everyone immediately quieted. "Thank you, Clarisse," Annabeth said, still looking a bit put out. Apparently, she had been trying to get everyone's attention, to no avail. She began talking, trying to get through everything in a hurry.

Piper wanted to be able to say she had paid attention valiantly, clinging on to every word, but to be honest, she was bored. It wasn't Annabeth's fault, but there really just wasn't anything interesting to talk about. She felt guilty, though, since this was her first meeting and she didn't want to make it look like she didn't care about what was going on.

She was suddenly snapped out of her reverie when she realized no one was talking. She sat up as straight as she could and tried to look like she was still listening. Then she realized everyone was staring at her.

"Piper?" Annabeth asked gently. "This meeting is for senior counselors only. Where is Drew?"

Piper blushed beet red. "I… erm…" Everyone was looking at her expectantly, making it even harder. "Itookoverasheadcounselor," she managed to get out, looking down. Now it seemed puerile to her. Who was she, someone who had been there for only a few weeks to be counselor? She seemed to herself like a childish little girl who assumed too much.

Annabeth stared at her. "You… what? Sorry, I didn't quite catch that."

Piper took a breath. "After I came back from my quest, I took over for Drew. Chiron told me I might want to come to this… I thought you would know by now, even if this is the first meeting since I became counselor. I guess Drew hushed it up…" She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I'll just-" she headed towards the door.

"No, no," Annabeth said. "You are supposed to be here ,I guess. It's just very sudden, that's all." She came up to Piper and shook her hand. "Welcome to the club."

February 28

Jason was already at the beach when Annabeth sat down. He nodded at her, seemingly entranced by the night sky.

This had become a custom between the two of them. Every night, they would sit next to each other, almost never speaking. It would disturb the peace they were trying to find; Jason, a chance to be alone, and Annabeth, a time to be with Percy.

So, it was surprising when Jason suddenly blurted out, "What do you think of Piper?"

Annabeth looked at him for a moment. "I guess that depends on what you're talking about," she replied.

He looked at her, for the first time since she sat down. "I mean…" he wet his lips. "Do you think she likes me?"

Annabeth couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips. "Oh… Well, I think that would be obvious, would it not? And why are you asking me?"

"Can you stop being so cryptic?" he asked, mock glaring at her. "I asked for a simple yes no answer. And I guess I asked you because of all the people I know, you're the one with the most experience, besides Piper, of course."

"I suppose the repair boy doesn't count," Annabeth said with a grin. Her face became serious again. "Yes. Yes, she likes you."

Jason exhaled, but Annabeth couldn't be sure whether it was from relief or trepidation. "Do you… do you think I should like her?"

Annabeth looked at him strangely. "Is this a question of Pipers character? If it is, I can assure you that I am not the most qualified-"

"No, no," he said, " that's not what I meant at all. I meant…" he sighed. "I don't know if there's someone back home or not. What if I choose Piper and find out I'm already in love, or what if I don't and she stops liking me, or," Annabeth had put a finger to his lips to stop him.

"If you like Piper, you should go for her," she told him firmly. His eyes blazed, surprising her.

"Is that what you would want someone else to say? If Percy was asking this question to someone right now, what would you want their answer to be?" He knew this was hitting beneath the belt, so he walked away quickly, not letting himself look back at Annabeth's crumpled face.

March 5

"Everybody's staring at me!"

"They should be."

"Can I at least look in a mirror?"

"No," Piper said, grinning evilly. "Not until after the meeting is over." She steered Annabeth towards the Big House.

Annabeth groaned. She had spent hours in the Aphrodite cabin, trying on endless racks of clothes and putting on so much makeup she felt her face would crack if she smiled.

Now, Piper had informed her that she had to leave it all on until after the monthly councilor meeting. She also couldn't see herself, instead being forced to trust that whatever Piper had done to her appearance had worked. Combine that with the fact that Piper had charmspoken Annabeth into the makeover in the first place… Well, Annabeth was not a happy camper.

"Don't worry, you look gorgeous!" Piper assured her.

"I don't look like myself!" Annabeth argued, trying to pull Piper back to the Athena cabin for a thorough face wash and change of clothes.

"How do you know?" Piper asked. "You haven't even seen yourself."

"I know!" she replied, "That's half the problem!" But she relented, allowing herself to be dragged to the Big House, and total humiliation.

It turned out that they were the last two there. Annabeth had led the meetings for quite some time, so everyone always waited on her.

Annabeth walked slowly to the front, ignoring the trail of whispers she left behind. She came to her spot at the head of the ping pong table to 'survey the carnage'.

Surprisingly, instead of poorly concealed snickers, she was met with a barrage of dropped jaws and envious murmurs.

She smiled. One could almost get used to this…

"Our first topic, the Argo II supply budget…"

March 10

Leo started hearing the snores at 3:17 A.M. They weren't loud; rather the soft exhales unlike those of someone awake.

He smiled, knowing exactly who they belonged to. He quickened his pace until he was on the port side of the Argo II which dominated the room he was in.

There she was; the only person who stayed to work on the Argo after 8:00 P.M. Her arms and legs were tucked up by her body, her golden hair spread out like a fan behind her.

Leo picked her up gently, cradling her softly. He could barely move her, but he set out towards the Athena cabin where a bed waited for her.

"Come on, Sleeping Beauty. Let's go."

April 16

Annabeth woke up suddenly, sitting bolt upright in bed. She felt charged, buzzed, as if she had just been injected with pure caffeine. Her heart was pounding, and she felt boundless energy as if she had just gotten up from a six month nap.

She got up and left the cabin quietly. There was no way she could stay still until this strange energy rush left her. She started jogging, making a round of the camp.

Her energy faded almost as quickly as it came, but she completed the four mile lap around the perimeter, wondering what exactly had just happened.

She came back from her run, no closer to answers, but she knew one thing; something big was about to happen.

**Thanks for reading! As always, don't be afraid to ask about any of the different parts. Remember, August 27! Enter your contest stories! And, as always, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**


	6. Chapter 6: Acceptance

**Yeahhh…. Long time, no write! I promise, promise, promise, that I will update this again in a timely manner. (after all, it's only the epilogue left after this) Anyway, it's good to see you back and ready to read more now that I've written it! ;)**

April 25

Annabeth sat up suddenly for the second time in less than a month, her heart pounding. She sat still for a moment, trying to shake off the dream but failing. She could still remember every terrifying moment like it was still happening, the thick, oppressing air, the feeling of unimpeded fear, the towering figure of her mother, her face twisted with fury…

She paced about the cabin, trying to figure out what exactly the dream had meant. Maybe… maybe it was just a dream. She took a deep breath. Yes, just a dream.

Suddenly, a thought hit her. She reached into her pocket, and her fingers clenched around a small, freezing cold object. She took it out and stared at it in horror, her back sliding down the cabin wall until she was sitting on the floor, the cold marble freezing her bare feet.

No! No, no no no no! It had to be a mistake, she thought, thought she knew it wasn't. She was holding all the proof she needed in her hands, though she couldn't believe that her mother would give her a quest like this, something that was practically a death sentence.

She had to get out. She couldn't even stay in her own mother- no, Athena's, cabin any longer. She threw the object across the room, relishing in the sound it made as it struck the wall opposite her. Annabeth ran out of the cabin, running as if she could run away from herself, and the task her Athena had set upon her.

Annabeth wouldn't come back to her cabin until much later, when she picked the object up off of the floor; just so her siblings wouldn't find it, she told herself, and tucked it back into her pocket. She could almost feel it burning a hole through her pants; the small silver coin, telling her to avenge her mother, to not be a weakling- she collapsed on the floor, staring into her hands vacantly before finally falling into a troubled sleep.

April 27

Jason, like many of the campers at Camp Half-Blood, was worried.

Annabeth had been holed up in the Poseidon cabin for a full two days, not eating or sleeping from what they knew. It was almost like she was afraid of the outside world, and people were starting to think that her time without Percy was starting to get to her. She hadn't even come out to work on the Argo, something that had previously been all encompassing of her time.

Piper, Leo, and Jason had all become friends with the daughter of Athena in the past months, making sure that she didn't spend all of her time planning the Argo 2, and instead coerced her into spending some time outdoors. Well, Piper and Jason did, they spent about the same amount of time trying to convince Leo to come out also, but…

Finally, Piper had convinced Jason to go talk to Annabeth, with liberal amounts of charmspeak. Though, he had to admit, he wasn't as averse to doing it as he would like to say; Annabeth had helped him get the nerve to tell Piper his feelings just a couple of months before, and he felt indebted to her. Especially as instead of taking her advice at first, he had insulted her and left her alone, crying.

But now, Jason was ready to fix his mistake as he barged into cabin three, ready for a showdown.

What he did see, though, surprised him.

He had known that Annabeth was in bad shape; she hadn't been out of the cabin in two days! But this… Her face was a wreck, tear tracks staining her blotchy cheeks. Her once sleek hair had lost its shine, and was now in a stringy, tangled heap on her head as if she had been tangling her fingers through it. And her eyes- they had lost all of their spark, the once bold and intelligent eyes now a flat, dull gray.

Jason sat down.

"Are you alright?" he asked, though he knew the answer. She didn't speak. "People say you've cracked from the stress of losing Percy, but I don't. It doesn't make sense."

He looked to see if she had acknowledged him at all. She hadn't moved, but her bottom lip was starting to tremble as if she were about to cry.

"If you were missing Percy, you would have been like this from the start. And you've always been so strong- it's something else. And I'd just like you to know that if you want to talk about it, me and Leo and Piper; we're there for you. I hope you know that."

She still hadn't moved, and Jason started to get angry.

"Don't you know what you're doing to them? The camp has just lost Percy, they can't lose you now too! You're a daughter of Athena, you face whatever this is head on! You need to _lead _these people, and it doesn't matter what you're feeling, because you have duty, responsibility! Don't run away from this." Annabeth had started to cry silently at his mention of Athena, but Jason just shook his head. "Coward," he said, the one word filled with disgust. He left the room, unable to stay any longer and watch the girl wallow in self-pity.

He didn't know what he had said, but for some reason, the next day, Annabeth was up and about again, even if a bit worse for the ware. She avoided Jason for as long as she could, but finally, as she was walking back to her cabin after dinner, she whispered something in his ear.

"_I am no coward."_

June 22

The Argo was scheduled to set sail the next day, and the camp was in pandemonium.

Everybody was scurrying around, carrying messages to each other and moving metal and other building materials across the camp. Leo, who must have been brain dead after pulling an all-weeker, was shouting orders and warnings, until finally, finally, he made the announcement to the camp from the top deck of the Argo via the ship's loudspeaker full blast-

"IT'S DONE!"

And then, he promptly fell over from exhaustion, toppling over the edge of the ship and falling almost 7 stories to the ground below.

June 23

It was done. The checks, the double checks, and the triple checks had been finished, and the ship was airborne, traveling across the country at speeds up to 100 mph. It would only be two days until they reached the Roman camp, two long, excruciating days until she could see Percy again. If he was there.

Everybody else was relaxing, including Leo, who had been forced to. After Leo had fallen off the ship, Jason had managed to levitate him before he hit the ground. Now he was under mandatory bed rest, and the ship was on autopilot. Though he had tried to argue, (_"You'll crash it! My baby needs me to guide her!"_) Annabeth thought he was secretly relieved that he would get the chance to rest.

She wished she could.

She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep in those two days they would be traveling, that she would be too preoccupied with her thoughts of Percy. She remembered in the beginning, when she knew exactly how long it had been since Percy had been discovered missing. She had lost her count sometime when Jason, Leo, and Piper and made an effort to befriend her, but now she was doing the same thing, only backwards.

_1 day, 23 hours, 54 minutes till I see him again._

**Well, that was crap. Only the epilogue to go, and then this is done! Hope you leave a review, and maybe go check out my other stories? Just a thought ;) Till next time!**


End file.
